The Edo Skills Development Agency (EdoJobs) is exploring areas of partnership with the Federal Government on skills acquisition, job creation and entrepreneurship development programmes for Edo residents, as part of efforts by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration to tackle unemployment in Edo State through skills acquisition and empowerment programs.
The Managing Director, EdoJobs, Mrs. Ukinebo Dare, said this in a chat with journalists after she conducted a team of the Federal Government led by the Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo on a facility tour to the state’s Innovation Hub and the Production Centre in Benin City.
According to Dare, the tour was to chart paths on how to align the programmes of the ministry with the Edo Skills Development Agency for partnerships and support.
She noted that the agency was looking to surpass Governor Godwin Obaseki’s promise to create 200,000 jobs at the end of his first term in office.
Dare said, “We are excited that the federal government has acknowledged our efforts at improving the lives of Edo people through skills development, entrepreneurship programmes and job creation. Today, we have a team of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, who visited our facilities at the Edo Production Centre and the Benin Innovation Hub.
They are impressed with the trainings, other business and production activities taking place at the centres.”
“Part of the reasons for the visit is to access the progress of these centres and identify how the programmes of the ministry will be aligned with the Edo Skills Development Agency for partnerships and support. We are confident that the outcome of this visit will further strengthen our ties with the federal government geared towards impacting lives of the Edo people through various entrepreneurial programmes and business inclined empowerments.”
Dare noted that more than 10,000 youths have been trained at the Edo Innovation Hub since inception, adding, “It provides a range of beginner, intermediate and advanced training in business and technology innovation, providing youths the opportunity to learn a wide array of employability and entrepreneurial skills.”